


Confession, Part 2

by EmJ93



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-24 03:21:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18562864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmJ93/pseuds/EmJ93
Summary: The Watcher and her companions have only barely managed to escape the riots in Defiance Bay, but before she even has a chance to process what she has just been through, Aloth has some news for her that further that only serves to further shake up Ariela's world.





	Confession, Part 2

“ _Please stop_. I need to tell you something.”

Ariela was afraid that if she stopped moving she might never be able to begin again, and yet the clear desperation in Aloth’s voice stopped her dead in her tracks. They had only just managed to make it out of the city, and she could hear the guards on the gate a few feet behind them making preparations to begin to set up a barricade. If Eder and Aloth had not dragged her out of there- if she had stayed to try and help the innocents that they had passed, like she had wanted- then they would never have made it out.

She could smell the smoke from burning buildings clinging to her hair, her nose was bloodied, and her body ached all over. Her mind still echoed with the screams of those that they had left behind to the riots, her senses completely overwhelmed by the intense panic and anger and fear that her psionics had been assaulted with from every direction. There had to be a better time for them to have this conversation.

But turning to look Aloth in the eye, she found herself nodding vaguely. “Alright.”

She was dimly aware of telling the others that they should take a break, and she stepped off to the side with Aloth as if in a trance, her mind only becoming present once more when he began to speak again.

“I have not been entirely honest about my motives for travelling with you up until this point.”

“You… what?” Ariela’s voice was quiet, her mind not entirely comprehending what he was saying to her. All those months ago, she had been suspicious of him, yes, but so much had changed since then. Back then, he had only been an Aedyran stranger who could have been anyone, but now… now he was  _Aloth_. He was her friend. Her closest friend. The man that she had come not only to care for, but to  _love_. He wouldn’t- 

“When I finished my training in Aedyr, I was introduced to an organisation. All I knew was that they were opposed to the unchecked spread of animancy, and that they could guarantee me postings far away from the Cythwood. Away from my father, and his erl.” Aloth stared blankly in the direction of the city as he spoke, the light of the distant fires inside its walls flickering across his face in the twilight. “At the time, that was enough.”

Ariela couldn’t seem to find the words to speak. Aloth’s expression was without emotion, and her psionics were too burnt out from the sensory overload of the riots for her to get a read on him. Even so, she had begun to realise where this conversation was leading, and she so desperately did not want him to be saying what he was about to say.

“In the early years, I thought of them as many things. Hooded men. Prudent teachers. The Leaden Key.”

Ariela let out a humourless laugh, and some part of her wanted to cry, though her body was far too exhausted to grant such a wish. How had this happened? She had fallen for this man, and yet she clearly had no idea who he even was.

If Aloth had heard her reaction, he showed no sign of it, continuing his explanation as he stared off towards the burning city. “Their rules were strict, but their guidance was clear. I sincerely believed that they wanted to keep kith from the folly of their own foolish ambitions.” Still avoiding her gaze, he lowered his head, eyes fixing on the ground in front of him as a sad resignation began to make its way across his face. “I came to the Dyrwood a little over a year ago. My orders were to gather information on animancy in the region. A senior contact met with me every few months to receive my reports and issue new leads. She sent me to Gilded Vale to keep an eye on events surrounding the local lord, but I lost track of her shortly after that. I don’t know if she was reassigned, killed, or… sacrificed, the way you saw.” He finally met her gaze, and Ariela could see the look of complete sadness and defeat that was plain on his face. “By the time that you met me, I’d been on my own for a couple of months.”

“Why?" 

It was the only word that she could manage to choke out, her mind still spinning as she tried to process what he was telling her. 

"I don’t-”

“Why have you been lying to me about this?  _For months_.” Ariela’s voice came out low, and thick with emotion, and she cursed herself for not remembering what she had been taught when she was young. Father had always told her not to show weakness in front of a rival. Never let them know that they had gotten to you, even if they had. But this wasn’t a rival. This was  _Aloth_. And yet… “ _Months_ , Aloth! You’ve had every opportunity to tell me about this! When you told me about Iselmyr, I asked you if you had anything else to tell me.  _I asked you and you said no_.”

“Technically, you asked me if I was an assassin that was hired by your family, which I’m not…” Aloth trailed off even before the sharp look that she directed his way. “But that doesn’t make this any better, I know.”

“I have just watched people  _die_. I watched innocent people being burned alive because of the misinformation that the Leaden Key has been spreading. Because of their sabotage, and their trickery. And  _you_  dragged me out of there.  _You_  stopped me from helping people.”

“ _I stopped you from dying!_ ” Realising that he had raised his voice, Aloth’s eyes widened in horror, and he took a deep breath. “I… I only knew that the Leaden Key were trying to stop animancy. I didn’t realise how far they had gone. Murder. Sabotage. Abandoning entire districts to shambling horrors…” Aloth cast his gaze back towards Defiance Bay, and Ariela was sure she saw a tear roll down his cheek. “And now the whole city is up in flames.”

Ariela let out a long sigh, trying to reign in her emotions. She was upset-  _betrayed_ \- that he had lied to her for all of this time, but she knew that she could not be angry at him for being lied to in the first place. The sheer hopelessness on his face as he looked back at the city was not the expression of a man who meant harm. The man standing before her was not a bad person. He was a man who had tried to do the right thing, but who had been manipulated and preyed upon. He was Aloth. He was the man she loved.

“I… I am still not sure about animancy. But I know now that I have been following the wrong master. I would understand if you could never forgive me, but-”

“Hush.” Ariela reached out to take one of his hands, squeezing it tightly between both of hers. “I… still need some time to process all of this. And I’m incredibly hurt that you have been lying to me for so long. But… I forgive you.  _Of course_  I forgive you.”

“You…  _do_?” Aloth blinked at her in surprise. “Then, please accept my service. Let me fight with you to stop Thaos.”

“I don’t want your service. I don’t want your obedience. I want your  _friendship_. I wouldn’t have you blindly follow me into this fight, Aloth…” Ariela let out a shaky breath, and then mustered the closest approximation to a smile that she could, as she looked into his eyes. “But I  _would_  be glad to have you at my side. If that is what you wish.”

Some of the tension left Aloth’s face and body, and she felt him squeeze her hand back tightly. “If you’re sure that you would have me, then… It would be my  _honor_ , Ariela.” 


End file.
